Best place to go in the Iowa City/Coralville area. Great food and deals and the people are always fun. Sweet chili wings here are probably the best food I've ever had and don't underestimate the tater tots!
(5)
Alex S.
I ate here yesterday with a few friends because we were all in need of a stein of beer. Sat on the patio and it literally took the girl 10 minutes to even get greeted. Whatever, who cares. Finally we get our beer, and we were ready to order.. Waitress dropped the beer and walked away. Ok maybe she'll be back in a minute... 20 minutes later we had to hunt her down to order. She never checked back on us to see bow we were, I had to ask for beverage refills. Finally we just wanted to close out. Sure as hell didn't take her any time to do that. She obviously wanted to get us cashed out so she can leave. She acted like we were an inconvenience to her the whole time.
(2)
Corn M.
The wings are amaZing here! The hot sauce is my favorite. My hubby and I usually split wings & ultimate joe! This is my favorite spot to watch anything Hawkeye! GO HAWKS!!
(5)
Mark G.
So the Vine is a very huge sports bar type of place that has more than enough seating. I heard they had good wings so I had to try them. I got 18 of them in the flavors of super hot, hot, and spicy garlic. You have to by them in 12 and then 6 to get to 18. Fun times on that. The wings are very, very small. These are some of smallest I have seen, not sure where they get these from but they need to upgrade so I can get some meat off of them. The price is a little high for these baby wings, I would expect these not to cost too much so not sure why they are expensive compared to the size. The wings were cooked right, nice and juicy no complaints there. The sauces were just okay. Hot had a nice kick to it, but didn't have a good flavor. Super hot pretty much the same thing, but a little spicier. The spicy garlic was the best one, had a pretty good flavor. There are several other flavors that I may got back and try on their all you can eat night. I did have a salad too, wasn't the best. Plain lettuce, tomato, and onion is all you get. Nothing like a good garden salad with different types of veggies. I didn't try their other food, it is a little pricey here. But the wings did not live up to the hype for me.
(3)
Mike M.
Wings, beers, and lots of TV's to watch whatever game you're looking for. Works for me. Wings are good sized with a good selection of sauces. The hot could be a little hotter, but then I'm a bit of a chili head, just a little bit though. I'm not one of them ghost pepper eating crazy people. Tenderloin was also really good, as was the burger.
(4)
Ben B.
The Vine is an enormous building. It's like a dimly lit warehouse with chairs and tables scattered around. Cavernous as it is, my family felt comfortable bringing two screaming kids there. It's not the place to have a quiet conversation. I ordered the hot wings. I liked the taste, but the wings themselves weren't very meaty. Sometimes when you order wings, you get the gnarled, gristly variety. That's what I got at the Vine. Sad. On the plus side I ordered the Vine Ale and enjoyed that. It was nice and smooth. It's not like I had an awful time at The Vine. It was okay. But it's definitely a "third or fourth tier"-type bar.
(2)
Wes J.
Great sports bar with all the games. Smokey Mt BBQ wings are delicious & cheese fries with bacon go down well. Try the Vine Ale (good price & packs a good punch). Worth trying!
(5)
Ryan S.
Don't get the wings here. They do have good sauces but the wings don't have any meat on them. They buy the cheapest wings possible. They do not care about quality.
(1)
Holly G.
Gross. Wings were bloody around the bone and the beer and all other beverages that weren't in a bottle tasted like skunky lines. This place has gone WAY down hill. On a positive note, the waitresses have all been decent the few times I've been back. Won't be going again though. Nasty
(1)
J C.
Probably would rate higher if they served food. Good atmosphere before a game. Was a 11 am game and did not serve food until after 10, and was totally packed 20 bucks to park before a football game seemed a little steep considering the distance to stadium. Not a bad walk but was a hike.the. overall good time before game just wanted to eat some wings
(3)
Mark M.
Good food, but their air conditioning has be broken the for the last 2 months. If you don't care enough about your customers to fix your air conditioning, we shouldn't care enough to write a good review.
(2)
Kerensa K.
If you sit on the bar side you will be extremely warm because it doesn't seem to have any fans on that side. We wanted a booth, so that's what we got. They had my favorite beer (unlike a lot of other places). I quite enjoyed the food and the service was quick. The waitress we had wasn't slow at all. It was a nice, comfortable dinner on a Friday night after a long week at work.
(4)
Lauren M.
Love the food! Horrible service! I just had the spinach artichoke chicken wrap and it was delicious! I love spinach artichoke dip, so adding it into the wrap was perfection. The fries are great and are especially good with a side of ranch to dip in. Our server was Dylan and was extremely rude the entire time. After serving us, we had already finished our food and sat there waiting for our checks for 15 minutes before he returned. He was extremely impolite.
(3)
Chad S.
If it wasn't for the wings, this would be a 2 star place at best. The rest of the menu is lame.
(3)
Matt U.
The Vine is an establishment along the Coralville strip. The essential spot to stop in an grab a beer after work or meet up with friends for some chill time. Appetizers are generally traditional bar foods. Wings are solid with plenty of sauces - like Buffalo Wild Wings, but the rest of the food isn't terrible. Burgers are solid - affectionately termed the "Jo's". They come in many a variety that leave your taste buds pumped, but not raging - a happy middle ground for sure. The Smoky Jo and the Mo Jo are especially delightful! Sandwiches are good size and with some great variety - The Monte Carlo is especially delicious. Fries are plentiful and particularly delicious. I'm told the salads are good...why anyone would choose the leaf to the cow I'm not sure, but again, I'm told they're solid! Beer selection is impressive and they've got great happy hour specials. From 3-7pm every day beers, wine, wells and margaritas among other libations are on special. One of the few places I've ever been that has a happy hour until 7! They also have appetizer specials during happy hour. Every day they have different food and additional beverage specials - Monday is $1 Coors Pint night - Yes MNF! Best part about the vine is the porch however. On a pleasant Iowa evening, sitting out on the porch until 9 or 10 is unbeatable. Hint - Sit on the East side of the building (nearest to Wig and Pen) around 6 PM. The sun's still up, but not up in your grill! But seriously, the sun will hurt you if you sit on the porch long enough so why not let him do his thing and you do yours whilst enjoying his warmth! One of the top spots to go in Coralville for a good burger, solid and often inexpensive beers and a great porch for chillaxin!
(4)
Jeff H.
EDIT: Although I love the Asian Garlic sauce for the wings, I don't think I will order wings from the Vine again, which makes me sad. The reason is that they use the poorest quality chicken of any place in town, and anywhere i've had wings. Numerous orders of the dozens of orders of wings I ever bought had some broken bones in them, and you know they were often broken when the bird was alive because it bled into the meat, and if there were broken boned birds then they were using antibiotics, and if using antibiotics then likely using hormones, and the questionable, unnatural growths of some of the meat and bones -- all contribute to being grossed out and refuse to eat their wings until they upgrade. They should be able to afford better quality. JMHO Original Review: The Vine is a long-time Iowa City establishment. The Coralville location has been around much shorter than the Iowa City location, but still probably 15+ years. This location is a sports bar, as opposed to a college bar that the IC location is. Both, however, provide essentially the same menu, heavily influenced by burgers and wings and the currently-popular, assortment of hoppy beers on tap. I have been known to say on separate occasions that they have provided the best burger (the Jo-Jo), or best wings (Asian Garlic!) that I have ever had, while at other times say I was less than pleased - it's all influenced by the mood you are in, whether getting tipsy and enjoying things with friends, or downing a crappy IPA following a bad day at work. I'd have to say, much more often than not, though, i've had pretty decent food at the Vine. The staff at the Coralville location tends to be friendlier than IC as well - not necessarily better or more experienced, but friendlier.
(3)
Marilyn A.
This is one of our favorite places to eat when we travel to Iowa City. Good food, lots of TV'S to watch sports.
(5)
Whit R.
I am currently traveling with a large group and we always call well ahead to make sure we can get seated and fed within a reasonable timeframe. I called last week and then again early in the day. They don't take reservations (no one in the area within our budget does) so they suggested we send someone in early to get our tables ready. We did so and after some initial confusion, they seated us in an upstairs area. We could have forgiven the delay but it was only the first of many problems. It took, quite literally, an hour and 45 minutes for all the food to come out. What did come first was cold and most of the orders were wrong. The food varied from just ok to really horrendous and two people in our party are still suffering food poisoning. when we asked about the delays, they said they were just unprepared for the influx and just couldn't keep up with the demand. Oh, and the best part was that we selected the Vine because of their healthy menu options which I mentioned when I called the first time (including the date, day and time and that it's a college football night in a college football town) and they never told me that on game nights they have a streamlined menu (read fried things, burgers and crappy salads) so the kitchen can keep up. Even with the streamlined menu, the food was meh, the service was poor and, when all was said and done nothing came off the bill, no discount was offered and they tok the full 18% gratuity. If you know you don't have the capacity to handle a group of 25, just say so up front and avoid the problem in the first place. We won't be back.
(1)
Jessica A.
Prices seem to have gone up. I paid $9.99 for a salad with some cut up chicken strips on it. This salad used to include a slice of garlic bread and doesn't anymore. I was a little disappointed.
(3)
Anna H.
I do like this place! Cool atmosphere, friendly waitstaff and the food comes out pretty fast. They have a pretty great happy hour so I suggest that you come out for that. I've had their fish and chips and wings and both have been delish!
(4)
Nan K.
Vine wins the award for smallest wings on earth ! They have gotten smaller and smaller. there are places in the area that have larger wings. every thing else is bar good. only so so. a great hang out place for iowa games its loud but nice for games
(2)
Melissa T.
Ok, I seriously don't understand why so many people in Iowa City like the Vine. The food is sub-par bar food. No offense, but I think there's better food at TGIFridays (ewww!). Nearly all the waitresses are in college, and again no offense, but not the brightest. If you deviate from the menu IN THE SLIGHTEST, they become confused and some how mess it up. In addition, they don't know their drink specials, menu, etc. Don't think of asking questions about the menu or salad dressing on the side. You'll get a lot of "Ummms..." and blank stares.
(2)
Martin A.
I really want to give The Vine a better review based solely upon the wings, but the staffing has really cratered in the last few years. My wife and I eat here about twice a month and have been coming here for years. (Full disclosure: I used to tend bar and serve here when I was in college *mumble mumble* years ago.) TL;DR: wings good, beer cheap, A/C broken, service questionable. UPDATE 19 August 2013: A/C is apparently repaired. Small wings and "wing popsicles" still common in every dozen. Service remains "luck of the draw" with respect to your luck in getting a sober/energetic server. Other comments remain unchanged. The real standouts here are the wing sauces and the sour cream and chive fries. Basically, anything fried. If you are looking for a steak or some quasi-vegan-gluten free experience, this ain't it. The wings themselves are on the small side, particularly considering the $8/dozen pricing. The last few visits we have seen a number of the "drum" wings (they cut them in half, so you get six "wing" pieces and six "drum" pieces for a total of 12 pieces, but only six wings) with very shriveled meat that basically look like a tiny wing Popsicle. We have also been shorted a piece several times in the last few visits. The sauces are fantastic and you could probably cover pieces of cardboard with the sauces for an okay meal (the secret ingredient is butter, lots of butter.) Sadly, be sure to count the wings when you get them and point out any shortages to the waitress immediately. The beer specials and happy hour prices are generally good. However, as several other Yelpers have noted, the service is lackadaisical to comatose. We visited yesterday (July 9, 2013) for the "discounted" wing special of $5.99/doz. Notably, the Air Conditioning is broken. Not a good thing in an Iowa summer. Despite telling the hostess we would sit anywhere in the restaurant, she proceeded to seat us in the bar. Our waitress was quintuple-sat (they seated four other groups of four in her section at the same time as us) and was running eight four-top tables. This is an overwhelming work load for any server, so our service (predictably) sucked. The bar area is also two steps higher than the rest of the restaurant so the temperature was basically the same as the outdoors - not good. I tried to find a manager to bring some of these issues to their attention but we never saw one in the 1.5 hours we sweated through our meal.
(2)
Mike D.
Best Chicken Wings in America! The Vine truly does have some of the best chicken wings I have ever had and I have tasted them all over the country. The other food on the menu is very good as well. Great Burgers and Chicken wing flavored items! Great bar in Iowa City to view any sporting event with a lot of TV"s. The only reason for the 4 star and not 5 star is sole on the service. The serviced seemed slow.
(4)
liz l.
great food but service was terrible. waitress spent most of her time in the kitchen chatting or only helping her three other tables right next to us. there was hair in my friends food. fries were cold too. otherwise the male waiter that was helping other tables in the same area was awesome and a babe. call me.
(3)
Kat H.
This is for their happy hour... 3.50 for 32 oz beers, and 5.50 for 12 wings (Super hot, maple hot are the best) my new favorite place to get drunk and grub!
(5)
Tyler R.
Terrible service!!!!!! Even when not busy. Typical college waitress crap. Food mediocre at best!! Always cold.
(1)
Michael W.
Not to damn the Vine with faint praise, but the one thing I really liked about it was the fact that it's one of the few locally owned, non-fast food restaurants in close proximity to the university hospital that I could find on short notice. In concept it appears to be an interesting combination of TGI Fridays and Merry Olde England. Alas, the staff do not wear armor or quote Shakespeare. The waitresses *do* wear tight black t-shirts, however -- all the better to gather tips, I suppose! There's also lots of dark wood, black and white tile, and TVs on every wall. The food was good, run-of-the-mill bar fare -- expect to pay around eight bucks for a burger. My wife really likes the buffalo wings with the bourbon teriyaki sauce. My reuben was also quite tasty, and I'm happy to report that they didn't skimp on the fries. That's something, right?
(3)
Loni B.
I really like the atmosphere of this place. The lighting is perfect for semi-romantic dates and if you love the Hawkeyes, this is the place for you.
(4)
j c.
Popular spot for game days. Mostly bar food. Best dish is the wings which come in enough flavors to satisfy everyone. Yes you can get them really spicy. Some sandwiches such as monte cristo are pretty good. Too much dressing and limp lettuce in their caesar salad. Mostly fried appetizers are so so. Overall, the food is what you would expect from a sports bar...mediocre except the wings which are probably the best in IC.
(3)
Heidi S.
I don't know that anyone needs to really review this place... it is a local favorite, especially on game day... You'll be lucky if you can even find a place to park in the huge parking lot. Just reopened after the floods. Food is good, nothing spectacular, nice beer selection, but more importantly, it is just a fun place to go! Also, it is definitely wheel chair accessible.
(3)
Justin K.
I had a 34 oz. beer with many to on tap to choose from (many Midwest microbrews I never heard of) and riblets were messy as hell but tasty with the Vine's own BBQ sauce. Certainly beats an Applebee's or TGIF anyday with similar type of fare, better food and much better beer selection. Definitely popular and sportsy, I don't think you'll be disappointed if you want good bar/popular American food, beer, and friendly college girl waitresses. I'd probably give them another 1/2 star if I could, certainly no complaints but not "Oh My God" awesome.
(3)
Geoff E.
Decent bar food which can be very cheap if you catch the right special. Beer is very cheap during happy hour. Lots of tvs in the bar area. Nothing to rave over food-wise, but a good place for a sandwich or wings and a brew. I go back periodically and generally leave satisfied.
(3)
Joni E.
Not sure where to start... Tuesday is Wing Day and steins are 'on sale'. After finally being greeted and waiting over 10 minutes for the waters I ordered, the rest of my party arrived. We ordered 2 steins of beer. After 10 more minutes they arrived. My Stein had a pretty significant chip on the rim so I asked if they could transfer it to another glass. After another wait the Waitress told me that they had to wash a Stein. After ANOTHER 10 minutes, I went inside to see what the problem was and they said they were out of steins and had to wash one. This is when I should add that they were NOT busy enough to have this issue. So I waited & waited. Finally..warm beer in a Stein. Now we are waiting for our wings. This is where I definitely have to comment to the Waitress. It starts with me asking for coasters for our beverages. She came back with a napkin for the waters but nothing for the beers. We had to ask for more napkins and we NEVER received our plates for the bones and wipes for our fingers. As a matter of fact, I think she may have been avoiding us. So, how do you tip? Whose fault is this horrible service? Is it terrible training? Unbelievable! Unfortunate that I have to mark at least ONE Star!
(1)
Joel C.
I made the trip down to Iowa City for a "guys weekend" for the Iowa/Iowa St game with a buddy who was an Iowa alum. After consuming a few tasty brews at Backpocket Brewing, dinner was up next. We tried a variety of places, but due to the large crowds in town, Vine was one of the least busy places...in that we didn't have to wait an hour plus for a table. I ordered the special for the night - the fish and chips. Positives: -Fun college bar/restaurant vibe. -Great drink prices. Negatives: -Very slow service -Food was pretty mediocre This place wasn't great - just kinda blah. Nothing outstanding, but serviceable.
(2)
Deva C.
I've been to The Vine a few times. Only because I have friends that choose that place for get togethers. I would never choose to go there. It's not bad, but it's not good. The wings are decent but I think it would take to effort to mess up wings. Tonight I went and experienced, once again, slow service. It's like these servers are all new to the industry. I waited tables for 6 years and I'd like to think I was never that bad. We were seated at a table without one of their little caddys with the silverware and napkins and whatnot. And we eventually just got up and took one from another table because our server was oblivious. I ordered the sweet potato fries as an appetizer and was very surprised when they came out. The appetizer is $6.49 so I expect at least a decent size basket of fries. Nope. The portion of fries was about the size of a deck of cards. Maybe a tad bigger. I asked if this was the appetizer. Is this what I'm paying $6.50 for? The server just said "yeah, I know." Aware of this. They weren't even that good! Pretty soggy and come without any seasoning. If I can avoid it, I will never go back and recommend others avoid the place.
(2)
Lauren S.
Why so many Vine detractors?! Perhaps you came here expecting something other than a sports bar with food? Because that's what The Vine is: A sports bar with food. Pretty solid food, in fact; all of it edible, in my experience. Wings are good, wraps are good, beer is plentiful. And the Vine Steins--the VINE STEINS! I spent $3 for a stein full of beer the other night that I could barely lift to drink. That, my friend, is $3 well spent. That's a deal. I like the downtown Vine location, but the Coralville space is more updated, a lot bigger and a little more grown up. Either location is fine, depending on the vibe you're looking for. Ample patio seating in Coralville is a bonus.
(4)
John G.
For a place this big, with so many people eating at one time, I think they did a pretty good job. I started with 12 wings in their specialty sauce (very good). The chicken fajita wrap had too much lettuce but tasted pretty good. The beer was low priced and the waitress was very nice. This would probably be a good place to go watch a game because there are a lot of speakers hanging from the ceiling.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kevin E.
Best place to go in the Iowa City/Coralville area. Great food and deals and the people are always fun. Sweet chili wings here are probably the best food I've ever had and don't underestimate the tater tots!
(5)Alex S.
I ate here yesterday with a few friends because we were all in need of a stein of beer. Sat on the patio and it literally took the girl 10 minutes to even get greeted. Whatever, who cares. Finally we get our beer, and we were ready to order.. Waitress dropped the beer and walked away. Ok maybe she'll be back in a minute... 20 minutes later we had to hunt her down to order. She never checked back on us to see bow we were, I had to ask for beverage refills. Finally we just wanted to close out. Sure as hell didn't take her any time to do that. She obviously wanted to get us cashed out so she can leave. She acted like we were an inconvenience to her the whole time.
(2)Corn M.
The wings are amaZing here! The hot sauce is my favorite. My hubby and I usually split wings & ultimate joe! This is my favorite spot to watch anything Hawkeye! GO HAWKS!!
(5)Mark G.
So the Vine is a very huge sports bar type of place that has more than enough seating. I heard they had good wings so I had to try them. I got 18 of them in the flavors of super hot, hot, and spicy garlic. You have to by them in 12 and then 6 to get to 18. Fun times on that. The wings are very, very small. These are some of smallest I have seen, not sure where they get these from but they need to upgrade so I can get some meat off of them. The price is a little high for these baby wings, I would expect these not to cost too much so not sure why they are expensive compared to the size. The wings were cooked right, nice and juicy no complaints there. The sauces were just okay. Hot had a nice kick to it, but didn't have a good flavor. Super hot pretty much the same thing, but a little spicier. The spicy garlic was the best one, had a pretty good flavor. There are several other flavors that I may got back and try on their all you can eat night. I did have a salad too, wasn't the best. Plain lettuce, tomato, and onion is all you get. Nothing like a good garden salad with different types of veggies. I didn't try their other food, it is a little pricey here. But the wings did not live up to the hype for me.
(3)Mike M.
Wings, beers, and lots of TV's to watch whatever game you're looking for. Works for me. Wings are good sized with a good selection of sauces. The hot could be a little hotter, but then I'm a bit of a chili head, just a little bit though. I'm not one of them ghost pepper eating crazy people. Tenderloin was also really good, as was the burger.
(4)Ben B.
The Vine is an enormous building. It's like a dimly lit warehouse with chairs and tables scattered around. Cavernous as it is, my family felt comfortable bringing two screaming kids there. It's not the place to have a quiet conversation. I ordered the hot wings. I liked the taste, but the wings themselves weren't very meaty. Sometimes when you order wings, you get the gnarled, gristly variety. That's what I got at the Vine. Sad. On the plus side I ordered the Vine Ale and enjoyed that. It was nice and smooth. It's not like I had an awful time at The Vine. It was okay. But it's definitely a "third or fourth tier"-type bar.
(2)Wes J.
Great sports bar with all the games. Smokey Mt BBQ wings are delicious & cheese fries with bacon go down well. Try the Vine Ale (good price & packs a good punch). Worth trying!
(5)Ryan S.
Don't get the wings here. They do have good sauces but the wings don't have any meat on them. They buy the cheapest wings possible. They do not care about quality.
(1)Holly G.
Gross. Wings were bloody around the bone and the beer and all other beverages that weren't in a bottle tasted like skunky lines. This place has gone WAY down hill. On a positive note, the waitresses have all been decent the few times I've been back. Won't be going again though. Nasty
(1)J C.
Probably would rate higher if they served food. Good atmosphere before a game. Was a 11 am game and did not serve food until after 10, and was totally packed 20 bucks to park before a football game seemed a little steep considering the distance to stadium. Not a bad walk but was a hike.the. overall good time before game just wanted to eat some wings
(3)Mark M.
Good food, but their air conditioning has be broken the for the last 2 months. If you don't care enough about your customers to fix your air conditioning, we shouldn't care enough to write a good review.
(2)Kerensa K.
If you sit on the bar side you will be extremely warm because it doesn't seem to have any fans on that side. We wanted a booth, so that's what we got. They had my favorite beer (unlike a lot of other places). I quite enjoyed the food and the service was quick. The waitress we had wasn't slow at all. It was a nice, comfortable dinner on a Friday night after a long week at work.
(4)Lauren M.
Love the food! Horrible service! I just had the spinach artichoke chicken wrap and it was delicious! I love spinach artichoke dip, so adding it into the wrap was perfection. The fries are great and are especially good with a side of ranch to dip in. Our server was Dylan and was extremely rude the entire time. After serving us, we had already finished our food and sat there waiting for our checks for 15 minutes before he returned. He was extremely impolite.
(3)Chad S.
If it wasn't for the wings, this would be a 2 star place at best. The rest of the menu is lame.
(3)Matt U.
The Vine is an establishment along the Coralville strip. The essential spot to stop in an grab a beer after work or meet up with friends for some chill time. Appetizers are generally traditional bar foods. Wings are solid with plenty of sauces - like Buffalo Wild Wings, but the rest of the food isn't terrible. Burgers are solid - affectionately termed the "Jo's". They come in many a variety that leave your taste buds pumped, but not raging - a happy middle ground for sure. The Smoky Jo and the Mo Jo are especially delightful! Sandwiches are good size and with some great variety - The Monte Carlo is especially delicious. Fries are plentiful and particularly delicious. I'm told the salads are good...why anyone would choose the leaf to the cow I'm not sure, but again, I'm told they're solid! Beer selection is impressive and they've got great happy hour specials. From 3-7pm every day beers, wine, wells and margaritas among other libations are on special. One of the few places I've ever been that has a happy hour until 7! They also have appetizer specials during happy hour. Every day they have different food and additional beverage specials - Monday is $1 Coors Pint night - Yes MNF! Best part about the vine is the porch however. On a pleasant Iowa evening, sitting out on the porch until 9 or 10 is unbeatable. Hint - Sit on the East side of the building (nearest to Wig and Pen) around 6 PM. The sun's still up, but not up in your grill! But seriously, the sun will hurt you if you sit on the porch long enough so why not let him do his thing and you do yours whilst enjoying his warmth! One of the top spots to go in Coralville for a good burger, solid and often inexpensive beers and a great porch for chillaxin!
(4)Jeff H.
EDIT: Although I love the Asian Garlic sauce for the wings, I don't think I will order wings from the Vine again, which makes me sad. The reason is that they use the poorest quality chicken of any place in town, and anywhere i've had wings. Numerous orders of the dozens of orders of wings I ever bought had some broken bones in them, and you know they were often broken when the bird was alive because it bled into the meat, and if there were broken boned birds then they were using antibiotics, and if using antibiotics then likely using hormones, and the questionable, unnatural growths of some of the meat and bones -- all contribute to being grossed out and refuse to eat their wings until they upgrade. They should be able to afford better quality. JMHO Original Review: The Vine is a long-time Iowa City establishment. The Coralville location has been around much shorter than the Iowa City location, but still probably 15+ years. This location is a sports bar, as opposed to a college bar that the IC location is. Both, however, provide essentially the same menu, heavily influenced by burgers and wings and the currently-popular, assortment of hoppy beers on tap. I have been known to say on separate occasions that they have provided the best burger (the Jo-Jo), or best wings (Asian Garlic!) that I have ever had, while at other times say I was less than pleased - it's all influenced by the mood you are in, whether getting tipsy and enjoying things with friends, or downing a crappy IPA following a bad day at work. I'd have to say, much more often than not, though, i've had pretty decent food at the Vine. The staff at the Coralville location tends to be friendlier than IC as well - not necessarily better or more experienced, but friendlier.
(3)Marilyn A.
This is one of our favorite places to eat when we travel to Iowa City. Good food, lots of TV'S to watch sports.
(5)Whit R.
I am currently traveling with a large group and we always call well ahead to make sure we can get seated and fed within a reasonable timeframe. I called last week and then again early in the day. They don't take reservations (no one in the area within our budget does) so they suggested we send someone in early to get our tables ready. We did so and after some initial confusion, they seated us in an upstairs area. We could have forgiven the delay but it was only the first of many problems. It took, quite literally, an hour and 45 minutes for all the food to come out. What did come first was cold and most of the orders were wrong. The food varied from just ok to really horrendous and two people in our party are still suffering food poisoning. when we asked about the delays, they said they were just unprepared for the influx and just couldn't keep up with the demand. Oh, and the best part was that we selected the Vine because of their healthy menu options which I mentioned when I called the first time (including the date, day and time and that it's a college football night in a college football town) and they never told me that on game nights they have a streamlined menu (read fried things, burgers and crappy salads) so the kitchen can keep up. Even with the streamlined menu, the food was meh, the service was poor and, when all was said and done nothing came off the bill, no discount was offered and they tok the full 18% gratuity. If you know you don't have the capacity to handle a group of 25, just say so up front and avoid the problem in the first place. We won't be back.
(1)Jessica A.
Prices seem to have gone up. I paid $9.99 for a salad with some cut up chicken strips on it. This salad used to include a slice of garlic bread and doesn't anymore. I was a little disappointed.
(3)Anna H.
I do like this place! Cool atmosphere, friendly waitstaff and the food comes out pretty fast. They have a pretty great happy hour so I suggest that you come out for that. I've had their fish and chips and wings and both have been delish!
(4)Nan K.
Vine wins the award for smallest wings on earth ! They have gotten smaller and smaller. there are places in the area that have larger wings. every thing else is bar good. only so so. a great hang out place for iowa games its loud but nice for games
(2)Melissa T.
Ok, I seriously don't understand why so many people in Iowa City like the Vine. The food is sub-par bar food. No offense, but I think there's better food at TGIFridays (ewww!). Nearly all the waitresses are in college, and again no offense, but not the brightest. If you deviate from the menu IN THE SLIGHTEST, they become confused and some how mess it up. In addition, they don't know their drink specials, menu, etc. Don't think of asking questions about the menu or salad dressing on the side. You'll get a lot of "Ummms..." and blank stares.
(2)Martin A.
I really want to give The Vine a better review based solely upon the wings, but the staffing has really cratered in the last few years. My wife and I eat here about twice a month and have been coming here for years. (Full disclosure: I used to tend bar and serve here when I was in college *mumble mumble* years ago.) TL;DR: wings good, beer cheap, A/C broken, service questionable. UPDATE 19 August 2013: A/C is apparently repaired. Small wings and "wing popsicles" still common in every dozen. Service remains "luck of the draw" with respect to your luck in getting a sober/energetic server. Other comments remain unchanged. The real standouts here are the wing sauces and the sour cream and chive fries. Basically, anything fried. If you are looking for a steak or some quasi-vegan-gluten free experience, this ain't it. The wings themselves are on the small side, particularly considering the $8/dozen pricing. The last few visits we have seen a number of the "drum" wings (they cut them in half, so you get six "wing" pieces and six "drum" pieces for a total of 12 pieces, but only six wings) with very shriveled meat that basically look like a tiny wing Popsicle. We have also been shorted a piece several times in the last few visits. The sauces are fantastic and you could probably cover pieces of cardboard with the sauces for an okay meal (the secret ingredient is butter, lots of butter.) Sadly, be sure to count the wings when you get them and point out any shortages to the waitress immediately. The beer specials and happy hour prices are generally good. However, as several other Yelpers have noted, the service is lackadaisical to comatose. We visited yesterday (July 9, 2013) for the "discounted" wing special of $5.99/doz. Notably, the Air Conditioning is broken. Not a good thing in an Iowa summer. Despite telling the hostess we would sit anywhere in the restaurant, she proceeded to seat us in the bar. Our waitress was quintuple-sat (they seated four other groups of four in her section at the same time as us) and was running eight four-top tables. This is an overwhelming work load for any server, so our service (predictably) sucked. The bar area is also two steps higher than the rest of the restaurant so the temperature was basically the same as the outdoors - not good. I tried to find a manager to bring some of these issues to their attention but we never saw one in the 1.5 hours we sweated through our meal.
(2)Mike D.
Best Chicken Wings in America! The Vine truly does have some of the best chicken wings I have ever had and I have tasted them all over the country. The other food on the menu is very good as well. Great Burgers and Chicken wing flavored items! Great bar in Iowa City to view any sporting event with a lot of TV"s. The only reason for the 4 star and not 5 star is sole on the service. The serviced seemed slow.
(4)liz l.
great food but service was terrible. waitress spent most of her time in the kitchen chatting or only helping her three other tables right next to us. there was hair in my friends food. fries were cold too. otherwise the male waiter that was helping other tables in the same area was awesome and a babe. call me.
(3)Kat H.
This is for their happy hour... 3.50 for 32 oz beers, and 5.50 for 12 wings (Super hot, maple hot are the best) my new favorite place to get drunk and grub!
(5)Tyler R.
Terrible service!!!!!! Even when not busy. Typical college waitress crap. Food mediocre at best!! Always cold.
(1)Michael W.
Not to damn the Vine with faint praise, but the one thing I really liked about it was the fact that it's one of the few locally owned, non-fast food restaurants in close proximity to the university hospital that I could find on short notice. In concept it appears to be an interesting combination of TGI Fridays and Merry Olde England. Alas, the staff do not wear armor or quote Shakespeare. The waitresses *do* wear tight black t-shirts, however -- all the better to gather tips, I suppose! There's also lots of dark wood, black and white tile, and TVs on every wall. The food was good, run-of-the-mill bar fare -- expect to pay around eight bucks for a burger. My wife really likes the buffalo wings with the bourbon teriyaki sauce. My reuben was also quite tasty, and I'm happy to report that they didn't skimp on the fries. That's something, right?
(3)Loni B.
I really like the atmosphere of this place. The lighting is perfect for semi-romantic dates and if you love the Hawkeyes, this is the place for you.
(4)j c.
Popular spot for game days. Mostly bar food. Best dish is the wings which come in enough flavors to satisfy everyone. Yes you can get them really spicy. Some sandwiches such as monte cristo are pretty good. Too much dressing and limp lettuce in their caesar salad. Mostly fried appetizers are so so. Overall, the food is what you would expect from a sports bar...mediocre except the wings which are probably the best in IC.
(3)Heidi S.
I don't know that anyone needs to really review this place... it is a local favorite, especially on game day... You'll be lucky if you can even find a place to park in the huge parking lot. Just reopened after the floods. Food is good, nothing spectacular, nice beer selection, but more importantly, it is just a fun place to go! Also, it is definitely wheel chair accessible.
(3)Justin K.
I had a 34 oz. beer with many to on tap to choose from (many Midwest microbrews I never heard of) and riblets were messy as hell but tasty with the Vine's own BBQ sauce. Certainly beats an Applebee's or TGIF anyday with similar type of fare, better food and much better beer selection. Definitely popular and sportsy, I don't think you'll be disappointed if you want good bar/popular American food, beer, and friendly college girl waitresses. I'd probably give them another 1/2 star if I could, certainly no complaints but not "Oh My God" awesome.
(3)Geoff E.
Decent bar food which can be very cheap if you catch the right special. Beer is very cheap during happy hour. Lots of tvs in the bar area. Nothing to rave over food-wise, but a good place for a sandwich or wings and a brew. I go back periodically and generally leave satisfied.
(3)Joni E.
Not sure where to start... Tuesday is Wing Day and steins are 'on sale'. After finally being greeted and waiting over 10 minutes for the waters I ordered, the rest of my party arrived. We ordered 2 steins of beer. After 10 more minutes they arrived. My Stein had a pretty significant chip on the rim so I asked if they could transfer it to another glass. After another wait the Waitress told me that they had to wash a Stein. After ANOTHER 10 minutes, I went inside to see what the problem was and they said they were out of steins and had to wash one. This is when I should add that they were NOT busy enough to have this issue. So I waited & waited. Finally..warm beer in a Stein. Now we are waiting for our wings. This is where I definitely have to comment to the Waitress. It starts with me asking for coasters for our beverages. She came back with a napkin for the waters but nothing for the beers. We had to ask for more napkins and we NEVER received our plates for the bones and wipes for our fingers. As a matter of fact, I think she may have been avoiding us. So, how do you tip? Whose fault is this horrible service? Is it terrible training? Unbelievable! Unfortunate that I have to mark at least ONE Star!
(1)Joel C.
I made the trip down to Iowa City for a "guys weekend" for the Iowa/Iowa St game with a buddy who was an Iowa alum. After consuming a few tasty brews at Backpocket Brewing, dinner was up next. We tried a variety of places, but due to the large crowds in town, Vine was one of the least busy places...in that we didn't have to wait an hour plus for a table. I ordered the special for the night - the fish and chips. Positives: -Fun college bar/restaurant vibe. -Great drink prices. Negatives: -Very slow service -Food was pretty mediocre This place wasn't great - just kinda blah. Nothing outstanding, but serviceable.
(2)Deva C.
I've been to The Vine a few times. Only because I have friends that choose that place for get togethers. I would never choose to go there. It's not bad, but it's not good. The wings are decent but I think it would take to effort to mess up wings. Tonight I went and experienced, once again, slow service. It's like these servers are all new to the industry. I waited tables for 6 years and I'd like to think I was never that bad. We were seated at a table without one of their little caddys with the silverware and napkins and whatnot. And we eventually just got up and took one from another table because our server was oblivious. I ordered the sweet potato fries as an appetizer and was very surprised when they came out. The appetizer is $6.49 so I expect at least a decent size basket of fries. Nope. The portion of fries was about the size of a deck of cards. Maybe a tad bigger. I asked if this was the appetizer. Is this what I'm paying $6.50 for? The server just said "yeah, I know." Aware of this. They weren't even that good! Pretty soggy and come without any seasoning. If I can avoid it, I will never go back and recommend others avoid the place.
(2)Lauren S.
Why so many Vine detractors?! Perhaps you came here expecting something other than a sports bar with food? Because that's what The Vine is: A sports bar with food. Pretty solid food, in fact; all of it edible, in my experience. Wings are good, wraps are good, beer is plentiful. And the Vine Steins--the VINE STEINS! I spent $3 for a stein full of beer the other night that I could barely lift to drink. That, my friend, is $3 well spent. That's a deal. I like the downtown Vine location, but the Coralville space is more updated, a lot bigger and a little more grown up. Either location is fine, depending on the vibe you're looking for. Ample patio seating in Coralville is a bonus.
(4)John G.
For a place this big, with so many people eating at one time, I think they did a pretty good job. I started with 12 wings in their specialty sauce (very good). The chicken fajita wrap had too much lettuce but tasted pretty good. The beer was low priced and the waitress was very nice. This would probably be a good place to go watch a game because there are a lot of speakers hanging from the ceiling.
(4)